Saved
by Aramira
Summary: The group get attacked and Kagome saves InuYasha from a demon, how will he react?
1. Chapter 1

It was evening and they were relaxing in a hot spring. Kagome was sitting opposite InuYasha and Shippo was floating by on his back. Sango and Miroku were sitting side by side to Kagome's right. They were holding hands under the water, mainly so that Sango could keep track of Miroku's wandering hands. Though they were at the point where Sango let Miroku grope her in private, she wasn't about to let him do it in public. Kirara, not knowing what the big deal with water was, was chasing fireflies in the clearing nearby.

Kagome sighed as she settled further into the water and stretched the tension out of her body. Her foot momentarily touched InuYasha's and he jerked his foot back and turned his head so that she couldn't see his reddening cheeks. Kagome was surprised then that he slid his foot back into place, so it was just barely touching hers. Their eyes met for a moment but then Shippo swam by, breaking their vision as he babbled on about their latest adventure.

Sango sighed as well, saying "This is so nice, warm water is such a treat."

"And now we can all enjoy it together since Kagome brought us these bathing garments." Miroku mentioned. After yet another peeping incident Kagome decided to bring them all bathing suits back from her time. Miroku, Shippo and InuYasha got matching dark blue trunks while Sango opted for a pretty striped 1 piece. Kagome wore her favorite bright blue 2 piece; it made her feel more sophisticated than her just 17 years.

They all settled in to enjoy the healing warmth, Kagome closed her eyes like the others but was anything but tired, the feeling of InuYasha's foot next to hers was electric, even more so because he had placed it there on purpose. She studied him from her almost closed eyes and he looked comfortable if not peaceful since InuYasha rarely looked peaceful. She wondered how he could be so calm when her emotions were running rampant and making her heart race.

From the other side of the spring, InuYasha was pretending to be calm and restful; his thoughts were awhirl with his own bravery. He could face demon after demon and near certain death again and again, but the mere touch of Kagome's foot had him so confounded he wanted to scream. He had caught the sight of her climbing into the pool and had to control his gaze, and his cheeks! He looked at her now, only her face and hair visible above the water and thought again that he'd never seen someone so beautiful.

Kagome was watching how InuYasha's hair blended with the silver of the moon reflecting on the water and thought again how beautiful it was, not that she'd ever tell_ him_ of course, he was too arrogant as it was…but then again, he might not be too keen on being called beautiful…

Suddenly InuYasha popped his eyes open, "What are you staring at?"

"Nothing, what are _you_ staring at?" Kagome shot back.

InuYasha's petulant tone was so familiar to Miroku and Sango that they didn't even open their eyes as the fight got started.

It abruptly ended though when Kirara transformed and growled at the forest beyond the clearing. Sango, Miroku and Kagome were suddenly sprayed with water as InuYasha leapt from the spring to where his clothes were. Kagome took a moment to rescue Shippo from his dunking before she scrambled out of the spring behind Sango & Miroku. "What's happening!?" Kagome asked.

"Demons!" InuYasha yelled as he leapt off towards the forest. He had put on his cloak of the Fire Rat over his swim trunks and was almost at the forest before the four of them got out of the water. They all ran towards where they had their clothes but there was no time. The forest erupted with demons of every shape so they all grabbed their weapons and headed towards the fray.

InuYasha was slashing every which way with the Tetsusaiga and Sango's Hiraikotsu was a killing swath through the group. Miroku, Kagome, Shippo and Kirara were in a group further back than Sango, taking care of any demons that escaped InuYasha and Sango, and got too close to the jewel shards in Kagome's bundle of clothing.

"There's a jewel shard in one of the demons!" Kagome yelled. Miroku was using his staff since InuYasha and Sango were in front of him and in the way of using his wind tunnel. He yelled to Sango about the shards who yelled to InuYasha, though his keen ears had picked up Kagome's words. Shippo was behind Kirara and Miroku, and, in front of them, with an arrow knocked, was Kagome.

InuYasha finally lost what little patience he possessed and told Sango to hold her weapon back, "I'm going to take care of these demons!" and he unleashed his wind scar. Demons caught in the deadly wind were blown to pieces and his companions were engulfed in the cross winds.

"InuYasha!" Kagome yelled and though she was far away his keen ears heard her and he turned, and stopped dead in his tracks, chills running up and down his spine.

She was magnificent! She was standing in an archer's ready stance, arrow pointed towards the forest where so many demons had been moments before. Her skin glistened from the water and he was keenly aware of how much of a woman she'd become in her blue bikini. Her black hair was dancing in the wind, and he saw her for the first time as a warrior.

He'd always seen Kagome as a girl, more recently as a woman, a healer and a priestess but never before a fighter. Sango was a born demon-slayer and Miroku had his wind tunnel and monk's powers. Kagome had been there to help after a battle and to tell them when a jewel shard was nearby, but InuYasha had not noticed how she had grown as a fighter since he was usually the one rescuing her when she got into trouble.

He absorbed all of this in the moment before she let fly an arrow, straight at him! His mind flashed back to when Kikyo had shot a sacred arrow at him and in that instant he prayed that Kagome's arrow would kill him since he couldn't face the heartbreak of a betrayal by her…anyone else he could live with, but not her, not Kagome.

In the heartbeat it took for the arrow to reach him, InuYasha sensed the demon behind him and he realized Kagome wasn't shooting at him, but was turning the tables and being _his_ rescuer. His heart started beating again and with renewed purpose. He was suddenly very proud of her.

The demon behind him exploded and he wrenched his gaze from Kagome long enough to see and sense that there weren't any demons left in the area. Kagome ran into the clearing and retrieved the jewel shard; she placed it in the jar with the others and put it around her neck. She looked around and sniffed, "I don't think those demons should ruin this beautiful night, I'm going back into the pool." Kagome announced, though she placed her bow & arrows a lot closer than before.

Sango and Miroku shrugged and went to join her, both leaving their weapons near Kagome's. Shippo cannon-balled into the spring and soaked the three companions and a water fight was soon in full swing, Kirara watching from a safe distance. InuYasha announced he was going to check out the forest to see if he could find where the demons had come from and once he was properly changed, they could hear him bound off.

They soon tired of the fight and settled into the warmth to let them relax after the sudden battle. Kagome opened her eyes when Sango nudged her foot and gave her a look. "C'mon Shippo, let's get a fire going so we can get dry before bed." They climbed out of the pool and went their separate ways to get dressed. Kagome dried off and gathered her things and walked a good way away from the pond and the dead demon bits. When she found a suitable spot she set up for a fire. Shippo and Kirara retrieved kindling and soon they had a nice little fire going.

"Shouldn't we get Miroku and Sango Kagome?" Shippo asked her.

"I think they're busy just now Shippo, they'll find us when they're ready." Shippo, wise beyond his years, nodded knowingly and curled up next to Kirara to sleep. Kagome heard a noise and looked across the fire to see InuYasha standing there. Their eyes met and something was going on behind that amber that she couldn't discern.

"Did you find anything?" Kagome asked.

"No, it's as if they just appeared out of nowhere. Where's Sango and Miroku?" InuYasha asked.

"They're still swimming."

"Well, it's late, they should get some sleep, humans need a lot of sleep I find." He said and made to go back to the pool.

"They're fine."

"But-"

"Take a seat before I have to say it." Kagome's eyes flicked to the beads around his neck and he ulped and he sat almost as fast as he would have if Kagome had said 'sit'. He was almost all the way across the fire from her and could study her without looking like he was. She was back in her usual clothes but he couldn't get that image of her in her bikini holding the bow out of his mind. Kagome could feel his eyes on her but kept her annoyance to herself.

"I'm proud of you." He said it so softly she thought she might have imagined it, until she looked up and saw him looking directly at her.

"What?" she said softly.

"Today, you, you looked- I thought- argh!" she sat back in shock at the sudden outburst, confused as InuYasha hopped up and started pacing. Kagome glanced at Shippo and Kirara but they apparently didn't care or were fast asleep. Just then Miroku and Sango walked up, fully clothed and ready for sleep. Sango lay her sleeping bag next to Kirara and Shippo and got in, Miroku lay down so their heads were right near each other but out of arms reach (they'd been sleeping like that for a while now).

InuYasha plunked down with his back to the fire (and Kagome to his side) so Kagome crawled into her sleeping bag and fell asleep, wondering what had InuYasha so upset.

InuYasha watched Kagome out of the corner of his eye until she fell asleep. He was much too agitated from his thoughts about Kagome and the smell of his two companions' activities to think about rest, _Good thing he was a half-demon and didn't need as much sleep_.

He blushed as the image of Kagome in her bikini, the wind whipping her hair about came back to him again. That thought led him to thoughts of Kikyo and how Kagome was different from her. Kikyo had wanted him to change, become other than hanyou. She had wanted the jewel for him to wish to be human. After Kikyo's betrayal he had wanted the jewel so that he could become a full demon, but now he wasn't so sure anymore…

Kagome liked him just as he was, she didn't want him to change, his demon side frightened her and though she liked his human side, she liked his ears too. His ears twitched, thinking about how she sometimes petted them, not realizing what it did to him inside.

Kikyo was always so serious, Kagome could be as well, but she usually smiled, and when she laughed the whole day seemed brighter. She was searching for the jewel because she had been the one to shatter it, but also because she wanted him to have it, even if it meant him becoming what she feared.

Kagome had been telling InuYasha what to do since the day they had met but never about the important things. She let him make up his mind about Kikyo, and he knew she'd not try to influence him when they got the Shikon jewel back together either.

His thoughts continued as the fire burned down, he looked at Kagome as she shivered without the fire to warm her. He decided to be brave again and he lay down beside her, enveloping them both in his kimono. She sighed in her sleep at the warmth and familiar smell at her back and snuggled against him. Her hair was in his face now and he breathed in her scent, a scent he had once told her he didn't like, back when they were forced together on this journey, and he was content.


	2. Chapter 2

Kagome awoke early to find herself cradled by InuYasha; she had thought it a dream when she snuggled into him in the night. She sighed a happy little sigh and surveyed the burgeoning morning, not wanting to move too much and wake him. Shippo was curled against Kirara who was curled at Sango's head, blocking Miroku who seemed to be reaching for her even as they slept.

Sango's eyes opened as Kagome studied her face. Sango had lost a lot, probably more than any of them had, in her short years and during the day she seemed to look older than she was. But when she slept, that sadness that tinged her features fell away and she looked very young, _almost too young_ Kagome thought, but then again, she herself was young too.

Sango arched an eyebrow at Kagome as she could see InuYasha's silver hair mingled with Kagome's. Kagome gave a little shrug, not knowing what it meant either. Sango smiled at her and deliberately turned her back.

Kagome scooted gently onto her back and put one hand behind her head so that she could watch the stars fade with the dawn. "Kagome?" InuYasha murmured as he tried to close the chilly gap between their bodies, but in that position he couldn't put his head anywhere safe and he woke up fully.

"InuYasha?" she whispered, turning onto her side so that she faced him, one hand straying up to stroke one of his ears.

"Yes Kagome." His voice was very soft but husky and her heart started to beat faster.

"Why did you sleep next to me?"

"You were cold."

"You could have added wood to the fire." She was right and he knew he was trapped; he had to be brave and be honest or get out of there fast. He could hear how fast her heart was beating though she didn't look as nervous as she smelled.

"Yeah. But…I-I wanted to." His hand strayed to stroke her hair, he loved the silky feel of it in his hands. "Are you OK?" his voice was more intense because she had started to tremble.

"Yes, InuYasha, I'm OK. Maybe I'm just a little cold again." He moved closer, now their bodies were almost touching, their faces only inches apart. "That's better." She said and the trembling calmed though didn't go all the way away. "Were you trying to tell me something last night?"

"Uh, yeah."

"What?" she asked when he didn't continue. He was staring into her eyes so intensely she was almost afraid to breathe. "I think you said you were proud of me?"

_Be brave InuYasha_, he thought to himself. "When we were fighting those demons, when I saw you with your bow-" his breath hitched a moment, "I knew I didn't have to worry about you anymore. You're a real fighter now, you don't need me to rescue you anymore."

She didn't say anything right away, she was trying to absorb his words, "Do you mean you won't protect me anymore?" she was on the verge of tears and InuYasha started to panic a bit.

"No! No, that's not what I meant. Please, please don't cry!" He cupped her face in his hand, "I don't mean that at all, I just mean, that, well, you can take care of yourself now too. I didn't really realize that until-" he hitched again, the image of the sacred arrow streaking towards him in his mind, "I didn't realize it until you saved me. With your arrow." _Duh with the arrow_, he thought.

"I don't know if I saved you, you would have sensed that demon in time, you always do." Kagome answered.

"Yeah, but that's not what I meant." She looked at him puzzled, and the openness in her eyes was too much for him right then and he looked away, letting his hand drop from her face. She didn't say anything, too afraid of what he might eventually be trying to say to her. Suddenly he stood and she was covered in cool air. He held a hand out to her, "Come." He said simply.

He was surprised she didn't ask him where, she just climbed on his back as he took off running. His muscles bunched and stretched under her body and the familiar feeling was comforting to both of them. The terrain got a bit rockier and he started leaping from rock to rock. This was one of her favorite things about the feudal era, feeling the rush of air as she was securely held by InuYasha, the scenery flashing by. By the time they got to the grassy clearing overlooking the sunrise she was exhilarated, all traces of sleep left far behind.

He settled himself near the edge of the cliff and took her hand so she would sit next to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder and being brave suddenly didn't seem so scary to him. They watched the sun come up and finally Kagome said, "What _did_ you mean when you said I saved you."

InuYasha found it easier to be brave when he wasn't looking into her eyes. "When I saw you with your bow, and you shot your arrow, for a moment I thought-" he paused, "I thought you were aiming at me."

He could hear her gasp and feel her body stiffen, he knew he had hurt her, but he also knew he had to be honest. _Oh InuYasha, how could you ever, ever think that? _She despaired in her mind, but she kept silent.

"And I thought, in that moment between seeing the arrow coming at me and sensing the demon behind me, that, I wanted to die."

Kagome sat straight up and faced him "You what?" He turned to face her and he was shocked to see how pale she suddenly was and he was afraid she would cry.

_I know this is hard for you to hear Kagome, but I need for you to understand, understand everything_. "It reminded me of when Kikyo-of when Kikyo shot me." He could see the tears welling up in her eyes with the pain that he was causing her. "And when I thought you were aiming at me, I wanted to die. I wanted to die because I couldn't live with knowing you had betrayed me."

"InuYasha, how could you think that?!" Kagome bust into tears and tried to get up and run away from him but she stumbled and fell towards the cliff edge. InuYasha was instantly there, sweeping her into his arms and leaping them to safety in the middle of the glade. When he landed he set her legs onto the ground but he didn't let go of her, he crushed her to his chest and tried to shush her. She was trying to get away from him, pushing against his chest but he held her tight, eventually taking them both to a sitting position, with her sideways on his lap.

She was tiring out now and no longer trying to get away. InuYasha took her chin in his hand and forced her to look into his eyes, what he saw made his heart break. He saw in her eyes that he had betrayed her, for real, not just for a moment's misinterpretation. "I'm sorry Kagome." She just stared at him. He crushed her to him again, hoping to squeeze the pain away from her eyes but trying to be gentle at the same time. He rested his head on hers, one hand coming up to stroke her hair, the other on her lower back. Her hands were against his chest, "It was only for a second that I thought that."

"It's ok InuYasha." Kagome's voice was slightly muffled so he loosened his grip somewhat, "I know you only thought that because it happened once before." The forgiveness in her voice pierced his heart and made him very brave, so he took her face in his hands and he wiped the tears from her face with his thumbs and then kissed her. Very gently their lips met and parted. He could hear their both their heartbeats speed up, and, for a moment, beat at the same rhythm.

"When I said you saved me Kagome, I meant more than from the demon. I meant that you saved me from me from the life I thought I wanted." He took a deep breath. "When we met, I wanted the Shikon jewel to turn me into a full demon. Now I want something different."

Kagome was holding her breath, barely daring to think that he might be saying what she'd wanted him to say for a long time. "What InuYasha? What do you want now?"

"You Kagome. I want you. I want you in my life, I want you to stay with me, be with me. I want to make you happy. I will stay hanyou for you Kagome, if-if you'll have me." He was staring into her eyes, willing her to feel the same way. "I love you Kagome."

Kagome was exhausted, the wide range of emotions she'd been through this morning were willing her to sleep, but the newest emotion, elation, was keeping her wide awake. "Oh InuYasha, I love you too." She was whispering but her words went straight to his heart.

This time their kiss was anything but brief. He gathered her into him, her hands on his chest. His hands slid from her face to hold her behind her head and on her upper back. Her arms slid upwards and around his neck, careful to avoid his rosary. As the kiss deepened their tongues touched and electricity was shot through the both of them. Her tongue found his fangs and she played with them causing him to exclaim that it tickled; Kagome giggled and did it again. "Hey!" he said playfully, and rolled her to the ground, now she was in a half sitting position with him next to and almost on top of her. One hand supported her back; the other was on her hip. She had both arms around his neck, her hands wrapped up in his silver hair; she smiled at him, so happy.

"I love you InuYasha." She said again. He growled low in his throat and kissed her again. They slowly sank onto the ground, legs entwined, arms wrapped around each other. They were like that for a long time, until Kagome started stroking his ears. Then he pulled back shuddering. "What's wrong InuYasha?"

He looked at her, smelling her desire as well as his own, heard her increased heartbeat and breathing and tried to take a deep breath, "You don't know what that does to me." She sat up and placed a hand on his shoulder, the other to the side of his face. He leaned into her hand and put one of his to her face in a mirror gesture. He made eye contact and she could see something powerful behind the amber orbs. It frightened her for a moment, but then she was able to see past it, to what was behind it. She smiled at him, and slowly, so that he could pull away without rejecting her, she slid her hand up to his ear and stroked it once.

He shuddered again and growled, his eyes never leaving hers, drinking in the desire mirrored in her eyes. She stroked his ear again and his growl became louder, almost a purr and he leaned his head into the stroking hand. "I love you Kagome."

"Oh InuYasha." She breathed as they came together, heads on each other's shoulders. She stroked his ears and he simply held her, breathing in the scent of her neck. He was purring and his breathing was becoming more and more ragged. His breath on her neck was both ticklish and exciting and when he rested his fangs on the skin between her neck and shoulder she sucked in her breath tightly and breathed his name again.

He gently took her hand from his ears and kissed it, he twined his fingers with hers then tenderly pushed her to the ground, speaking to her with his eyes. His hair formed a silver curtain around them and mixed with hers on the ground. Their souls were joining as much as their bodies and they did not return to the others for many hours. Simply being content in each others arms, awake or asleep.


End file.
